Kanjin Hijiri - Kanjin Hijiri

Japanese: 勧進聖 - かんじんひじり

A monk who traveled around the country to solicit donations. They are also called kanjin monks, kanjin shonin, or kangetsu monks. Originally, kanjin meant traveling around the country to encourage the practice of Buddhism in order to save all living beings. Later, saints who sought to raise funds for the construction of temples (or shrines), Buddhist statues, bells, or bridges came to be called kanjin saints, and this also led to the propagation of Buddhism among the general public. In addition to Gyoki in the Nara period and Shunjobo Chogen in the Kamakura period, many kanjin saints and kanjin nuns were active, and they also contributed to the spread of performing arts. In later times, there were also cases of traveling beggar monks who traveled around the country in the name of soliciting donations, and some even became door-to-door entertainers.
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Source : Heibonsha Encyclopedia About MyPedia Information

Japanese:

諸国を廻って勧進を行った僧。勧進僧・勧進上人(しょうにん)・勧化(かんげ)僧などともいう。勧進は本来は衆生(しゅじょう)の救済のため諸国をめぐって念仏を勧めることで，のちには寺院（あるいは神社）の堂塔や仏像，鐘，または橋などの造立に要する資財を調達することを目的にする聖を勧進聖と称するようになったが，これに伴って仏教の民間布教にもなっていた。奈良期の行基(ぎょうき)，鎌倉期の俊乗坊重源(ちょうげん)らのほか多数の勧進聖・勧進比丘尼(びくに)らが活動し，芸能の流布にも貢献した側面がある。後代には勧進を名目に遊行した乞食僧が現れ，門付(かどつけ)芸人となる例もみられた。
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